1 68 



THE GNAWERS OR RODENTS. 



tremely graceful, gentle, good-humoured, and 

 cleanly, yet they may become rather trouble- 

 some from their curiosity and their disposition 

 to gnaw everything that comes in their way. 

 Their flesh resembles that of the wild rabbit. 

 The members of the genus Lagidium (or 

 Lagotis) inhabit the same regions as the 

 chinchillas, and resemble these latter in the 



structure of their teeth, but are distinguished 

 by having longer legs, a less delicate fur, 

 much longer ears, and a long tail, which is 

 haired only on the upper surface. The 

 general appearance of these animals is some- 

 thing like that of a long-tailed hare. They run 

 and jump like hares, and excavate burrows 

 like rabbits, to which they are about equal in 



Fig. 230. — The Vizcacha (Lagostomus trichodactylus). 



size. They are hunted solely for the sake 

 of their savoury flesh. An illustration is 

 furnished of the species which is so abundant 

 in the higher parts of Peru (Lagidmm 

 (Lagotis) Cuvieri), fig. 229. 



The Vizcacha {Lagostomus trichodactylus), 

 fig. 230, is the only species of this family that 

 descends to the lowlands. It literally renders 

 the Pampas of the Argentine Confederation 

 and Patagonia unsafe by the enormous bur- 

 rows which it makes. These burrows are in 

 communication with one another, and are 

 occupied by families which sometimes num- 

 ber as many as fifty individuals. By day 

 the vizcachas rest, but at night they move 

 out in dense crowds. On account of the 

 danger caused by their burrows to horses, 



which frequently stumble in them and get 

 overthrown, the vizcachas are thoroughly 

 detested and relentlessly destroyed at every 

 opportunity. Whenever possible their bur- 

 rows are placed under water; the vizcachas 

 themselves are pursued by dogs, against which, 

 however, they defend themselves bravely. 

 The vizcachas are distinguished from the 

 members of allied genera by their thicker 

 head and more thickset body, by their long 

 stiff whiskers, their dentition, and their rather 

 short but very hairy tail; moreover, the fore- 

 feet are four-toed, the hind ones only three- 

 toed. The first three cheek-teeth have two 

 quite separate oval rings of enamel, the last 

 has three of these. The body attains a 

 length of about twenty inches. The colour is 



